PM Shehbaz constitutes task force to identify anti-state elements

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has formed a 10-member Joint Task Force to address and document violence and identify perpetrators involved in spreading propaganda against the state.

According to recent reports, this development comes after the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) November 24 protest, which resulted in anti-state propaganda.

The task force headed by the Chairman Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), Key officials from the Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of Information, the FIA Cybercrime Wing, the Intelligence Bureau (IB), ISI, MI, and Islamabad Police are part of the task force.

PM Shehbaz has strictly directed the team to act swiftly with a 10-day headline given to submit the report with a complete and detailed explanation of its findings and suggest recommendations to the government.

An order issued by the Prime Minister’s Office said, “Consequent to the recent incidents of terrorism and vandalism, a massive malicious campaign has been orchestrated to discredit the State of Pakistan in general and security forces in particular.

Multiple domestic and foreign-based media platforms are being used to perpetrate concocted, baseless, and inciting news implicating State apparatus for committing serious human rights violations.

This campaign is aimed at creating a serious law and order situation in the country and foment provincialism and ethnic cleavages for specific vested political interests.

To attract a foreign audience, perpetrators of this inimical campaign attempted to create serious human rights violations through fictitious violent images and content. The task force formation aims to ensure accountability and address the growing challenges created by misinformation and anti-state efforts.